Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Speculating on here shouldn’t happen? It’s a discussion forum here so I think asking for non speculation is perfect world stuff.

Dan wasn’t speculating. He said that obafemi opted out of doing a press conference and no reason wasn’t given for the late change. That’s the truth. That’s all he said. If you think he shouldn’t even say that without knowing exactly why…again I think that’s a bit much. His employers are newstalk and the Irish indo, he’s not doing PR for FAI.

A storm in a teacup. He doesn’t do a presser, who cares? It’s not some wider conspiracy of anything.

Dan is a good journalist, probably asked for a reason and didn’t get one so just reported as such. Don’t think there’s anything deeper to it.

@Did you smash it "george Baldock being in a Greek player was news that passed me by"

This typo made me laugh!

The Greeks in fact do like it up ‘em

But it's a bit daft seeing as it specifies European qualifiers.

Any away competitive win is as valuable in any qualifying tournament.

As others have pointed out Ireland have beaten Wales and Austria recently enough on the road.

Yeah, in terms of regular expectation, a draw away to Greece is a decent result. It's only since we need to very actively upset the odds to have a chance at qualifying that puts more pressure on getting a win. Need at least 1 away win from the Greece and Netherlands games (and can't lose either), and this one is probably the more likely to find that - but tbh only marginally. Away to the Netherlands we might actually have more space on the break, whereas Greece will likely stay pretty compact.

As expected Liam Scales and Jack Taylor drop out for the match day squad.

Think it could be:

..............................Bazunu

.................Collins - Egan - O'Shea

Doherty - Molumby - Cullen - McClean

.......................Knight - Johnston

............................Ferguson

Think Johnston will replace Ogbene from how we lined up in the French game. Similar he could start Smallbone instead of Johnston or get very adventurous and start Smallbone and Johnston as the two behind Ferguson.

Think it's gonna be a toss up between O'Dowda and McClean of whose fitter to start but think O'Dowda coming off the bench and running at players late in the game would be better. Especially when Ferguson might not last the full game there's no point bringing McClean on who'll try get crosses in when Ferguson isn't there.

That should leave it close enough, where you may get a weird bounce in other results.

If we win we are in with a good chance of going through.

Holland look very soft.

But we do need to win, and there is no reason why we cannot.

A draw leaves us struggling.

Think if Ireland lose tonight Kenny will find it hard to stay on past Euros

A win also gives you leeway too that if Holland drop points to Greece they'll have to make up the points against us.

Think if they lose tonight he'll be doing well to see the campaign out. That September would be his last games if we don't get a result against Holland. FAI had clauses in his contract to allow them change managers post Nations League and likely could have clauses which allow them part ways mid campaign if things aren't going the way they like.

Once it’s over you should be let go. No point having a dead man walking saying empty things to the squad, holding empty training sessions, etc. The moment the decision is made that the Kenny project is not continuing is the moment he should be let go.

I don't know because at the same time if John O'Shea was willing to step in for Octobers game it also gives you a look at him since he could be a potential candidate in a couple of years. Gives him a couple of games till the new manager takes over.

If the FAI have their ducks in a row they should have a list of potential candidates (chances are that list is depressing) that are possible replacements which might make any changes mid campaign if possible quick. Though will likely depend on whether they included clauses which allow them a get out mid campaign. Which any decent FA in their position likely should but it is the FAI after all.

If the FA let Carsley go after the Euros which there's a possibility they will going by reports last season then Kenny's goose could well be plucked if we lose tonight come September. Whether Carsley should be in the mix is another thing cause with the talent at his disposal his U21s team hasn't really impressed. But he'll tick two boxes which fit the FAIs criteria, cheap and unemployed.

USA 2026 - 16 teams to qualify from UEFA -

The qualifying group stage will feature twelve groups of four or five teams. The winner of each group will qualify for the World Cup finals, while the second-placed teams will either qualify directly or participate in play-off matches

That does not sound easy either ?

imagine newstalk will have it?

This Greek fella gives insight into the Greek team

His knowledge on Ireland seems limited, so I take his prediction of Greece 1 - Ireland 0 with a pinch of salt. As he was basing it on basically the Ireland v France match.

But Greece (according to him) seem to have quality strikers that are good at club level but have not caught fire at international level yet.

Well if the strikers have a decent shot from distance they stand a chance of scoring tonight 😂

Think this has 1-1 written all over it though hoping for a 2-1 with goals from John Egan and Mikey Johnston to get his first Ireland goal.

I think we can be agreed on wanting the team to get the win tonight, and a really positive draw at a minimum (i.e. an excellent performance).

But this is why you would have a caretaker manager imo. If we lose (and no reason we should, really, there has been progress to get to this point) then Kenny is dead and should be removed so the whole setup can be assessed without him there. In football once it is over everyone knows it, and there is no point beating it to death. John O'Shea would be fine.

Obafemi not doing the press conference might hint at him not starting. A front two of Idah and Ferguson I wouldn't mind but couldn't see both playing the 90s. They're the two players that are most similar and most likely you'd want to be replacing one for the other which leaves me to think he won't start both.

Whoever did the editing on the intro and outro, gets top marks!

Lenihan instead of O'Shea. Like Smallbone been included